Twins of Life and Death: Leaves and sound
by Carol Nawali
Summary: Perhaps...just perhaps she knew what he had gone through a little more then she let on.
1. Intro

Where there is one, there is another. You cant have one without the other, otherwise the other would ceast to exist. You could not see with pure light, as it would blind you, but then again so would the darkness. You needed one to balance out the other. Everyone said that light would defeat dark, but they would never come to an end. Always destined to clash...to balance.

When one died, or lost...another two would be reborn to replace them.

Life and death. Light and darkness. Love and hate. Happyness and toture. Selfless and selfish.

...emerald green and cholocate brown...

Perhaps...just perhaps she knew what he had gone through a little more then she let on. But now he was with her and there is nothing she can do about it. But she wont let her win. No. She wont give up that easily.

Against leaves and sound. Life and death...


	2. Chapter 1

Sakura rolled over on her bed. The pink of the comforter and the pink of her tresses seemingly molded into one, on the soft mattress. The sheets that were supposed to offer her warmth now entangled her legs tightly together as perspiration dotted her forehead.

A tiny moan escaped her lips as her body once again tossed. Her arms flailed out occasionally as if attacking an unseen enemy. Her breathes came out as shallow gasps as her restless sleep continued.

The sand man had her in his cruel grasp, and was refusing to let her go. Haruno Sakura was stuck in a demented nightmare. One that had plagued her for as long as she could remember.

_A shrill scream pierced the silent blanket that had formed around the small house that day. _

_A small girl, no more then 5, sat on the ground huddled into a tiny ball. Her knees were brought up to her chest, her small arms wrapped around them as she rocked back and forth in a horrified manner. Her head was dipped down, her pink tresses covering her eyes, her body giving off violent wracks. She opened her mouth again, her hands moving to the back of her head, and she let out another blood curdling scream._

_In an instant another girl ran to the screaming child and wrapped their arms around her for comfort. The screamer stopped and looked up, her chocolate brown eyes meeting soft emerald ones that silently spoke of the same horror._

_The screamer silenced, her bottom lip quivering slightly before quickly flinging herself into the new girls arms and sobbing. "ONEE SAN!" she cried aloud. The other girl whispered soft words of comfort as she rocked herself and the girl in her arms back and forth._

_She rested her head on the now crying child's head, and both of their pink tresses mixed together. Tears streamed from both of the children's eyes as they sat there crying together, as they watched the horror scene that was unfolding before them._

_Flames licked at the sky and black smoke filled the areas that the once pure and fluffy clouds floated. The smell of the burning wood could easily reach the two girls noses. All there worldly belongings were now gone. _

…_but at least they had each other right?_

_The Haruno girls huddled together closely as they watched their house being engulfed by flames._

_"Onee san! Mama and Papa will be mad when they come home!"_

_The green eyed girl shook her head softly as the pink tresses flew about them lightly. "No…sis…they won't"_

_Soon she let go of the girl in her embrace and stood up offering her hand to the little girl. The brown eyed girl grasped her sister's hand and allowed her to pull her up and they stood there together._

_It was funny though…as even though the green eyed girl was called "Onee san" she was the same height as the other, and well…the looked identical other then their eye colors._

_Yes…_

_These girls were the Haruno twins._

_Both girls coughed slightly as the smoke was getting to them, and the brown eyed girl looked at her sister and tugged at her arm. "Sakura…" she started and looked at her house, her fear apparently subsided."That was scary wasn't it?"_

_The green eyed girl - Sakura- nodded her head in agreement. "Hai…" she spoke softly, still in wonder how their house had gone up in flames. She had been reading quietly while her sister was practicing her insterment. So what caused the house to burn?_

_Slowly Sakura looked to the side to see her sister, and what she saw utterly confused her. Her sister was **smiling!** The same little girl who had been screaming aloud and sobbing just moments go was now looking at the flames and smiling._

_Sakura's stomach twisted at the sight but she opted not to say anything and tugged on her twin's hand leading her to the village. Their steps started off as groggy wobbles from lack of using their legs, but as they got used to the movement they quickly found themselves propelling their bodies towards the rest of the village. _

_They had to tell someone!_

_They ran as fast as their small legs would carry them, and soon they found they had to give up the hold they had on one anothers hand to increase in speed. Their effort was paid off, however, as they reached the village, and the first two they saw happened to be their parents._

_"MOM! DAD! THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!"_

_The parents looked at one another worriedly until they felt the younger of the two twins hug both of them, a sadistic smirk playing across her face._

_"…and it was pretty…pretty and scary…"_

Sakura woke up with a start, her body lurching forward into an upright sitting position; the sweat that had beaded her forehead now ran down the side of her face. Her breaths came out shallow and ragged, and it took effort to get air into her lungs. It felt as if the organs were being suppressed by the darkness of the dream itself. Her eyes stung as if the smoke from the fire was affecting her vision in the real world.

This was one of those horrible things time could not heal…could not erase.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she chocked back a sob, determined not to wake her sleeping parents. She lowered her head causing her pink bangs to slip over her eyes covering them, shielding them, as the tears dripped onto the warm blanket.

Her nightmare always ended there, but it didn't matter, for she knew the end outcome. After all, it wasn't just a dream…it was reality.

A strangled sob finally found its way out of her throat as she tossed the covers away and slid her feet off the bed, walking over to her small bookshelf that was placed near the doorway. Bending down once she got to the wooden object she allowed her eyes to come in contact with a framed picture.

She smiled affectionately as she squatted down in front of the picture, her fingers trailing along the frame caringly before she curled her fingers around the frame and picked it up, walking back towards her bed.

Her sat down with a 'humph' as she bounced back up in the air lightly from the springs in the bed, after the motion stopped she stared intently at the photo. Again her eyes welled up, and stung from the unshed tears as she stared at the picture, who stared back at her.

Her small broken family.

She gave off a sad laugh as a sole tear rolled down her cheek and she traced the figure of her mother and father fondly. It was a simple picture; her father had his left arm wrapped around her mother, his right was placed firmly on her sister's head. Her sister looked up at her dad grinning coyly, who failed to notice and only looked up at the camera. Her mother was staring back at the camera as well, her right arm wrapped around her fathers waist, and her left hand on Sakura's head, as the young girl clinged to her twins arm smiling anxiously at the camera.

She was no more then 5 in that photo. Everything was so simple then. Black and white. Joy and pain. What happened to her simple world? It was gone…gone with her family, with her sister…but…she had found it hadn't she?

Yes…she had.

In the eyes of the Uchiha survivor…Sasuke. She loved him with everything she had in her body! Through his insults, through the harshness of his cold shoulder…she still found herself in love with him.

He had brought back the simple world that she so used to love.

…and he stole it away again with his departure for Orochumaru. She had confessed everything to him! …and still he left her, without as much as a bat of his eyes. She'd give up everything now to find him, but he was with _her_ now.

Her eyes dulled over as she placed the picture on her nightstand, face down. Her sister's picture was a bit more then she could deal with at the moment, with her current depression.

She yawned aloud, her eyes still having a glazed look to them, the tears long since stopped. She had no more tears to cry, it was simple as that now. If she attempted to now, they would simply come out as dry sobs. Another tiny yawn escaped her slightly damp lips as she stared at her pillow without an emotion.

How nice it would be to go back to sleep…but the dreams they'd come back. They always did.

Sakura laid her head down despite the fact, and sighed to herself as the softness seemed to comfort her.

Her nightmares had come since Sasuke had left the village with _her_ and now she was remembering the only the thoughts that horrified her, the thoughts that pained her. The sad thing was, she knew, she could rid herself of the pain if only she willed herself to…but she didn't want the pain to leave.

…pain was a welcomed thing to her these days. Pain had been welcomed to her for 4 years now, as without the man she found she loved, she felt nothing. Nothing but pain. And she loved pain…as it made her feel alive…_real_. She had come to love the site of blood…not anyone's blood, but her own, as it told her she was still living, and breathing.

Now she wasn't suicidal! Oh no! Not by any means! She still had too much to do before she died, and hell! She might just find him again, and she would never see him again if she killed herself! No…she simply needed reassurance of her life.

"Sister…" she sighed a shaky sigh as she closed her eyes, her heart was heavy as pictures and memories replied themselves in her minds eye."Why?" she whispered hoarsely as she reached behind her head and pulled away one of the pillows and hugged it to herself tightly as she squinted her eyes shut tight.

Sakura felt as though her sanity was slowly leaving her, and had been since he left. Her mother and father told her not to wallow and pine away over some guy, but she knew it wasn't just some guy.

No…it was just that some guy helped her before, and stopped her from dieing from past events in her life. Her blind worship of the Uchiha boy was just a means of pretending the past never existed. But soon the blind worship turned to love.

She should have known better though…everyone she had loved always seemed to leave her.

Little did Sasuke knew…she knew more about what he was going through then she let on to believe. She didn't want pity from him; even though she knew he wasn't the type to give it. Naruto on the other hand would have been.

She smiled a fake smile, her eyes closing only to show half of her eyes now. She was happy for him, he had stopped crushing over him and had gone on to see the lovely Hyuuga heiress that was there for him the whole time, and now they were happy together.

Another yawn escaped her lips as she closed her eyes once more…praying to anything holy that the rest of her night would be graced without the presence of her nightmares.

…her prayers went unanswered.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: Twins of life and death:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

Sakura sighed to herself as she opened her eyes and rubbed at them slowly before going to her dresser and pulling out her normal attire. Quickly she placed them on and discarded her night outfit in a nearby white basket before tiredly making her way downstairs.

"Good morning Sakura Chan!" The cheerful voice of her mother replied as she turned around with a plate of breakfast in her hand, which she placed down in front of the sleepy pink haired ninja with a smile.

Sakura nodded her head as in hello, before she placed a hand over her mouth and yawned, her eyes downcast as she sat down.

"Oh, Sakura" a voice started as she looked up at the man in front of her she claimed to be her 'father'. "The 5th has new mission specs for you. For some reason she brought them over personally." He paused in a thoughtful silence before looking at the pink haired medical ninja and asked "Don't you usually get them from her office?"

Sakura nodded slowly, unsure as to why Tsunade sama would give her mission files personally.

"Anyways, there on the coffee table in the living room"

The medical specialist of Konoha nodded her head, forgetting about her breakfast and made her way into the aforementioned room. Sure enough just as the man had said, there was a manila folder on the table with her name written in neat script across the top.

Smiling slightly as she looked at the small picture of a cherry blossom next to her name, knowing Tsunade sama had always took the time to draw that on her folders. She kept her eyes trained on the object as she made her way to it, before taking it off the table and plopping herself onto the couch.

Her faint smile grew a tad larger at the thought of another mission. She loved going on them, as it took her mind off of the past memories that haunted her nights, every night. Her delicate fingers traced over the blossom for a moment before she opened the file.

Her eyes read the top portion quickly first, to get a feel for how the mission would run.

_**Mission Ninjas: **Haruno Sakura._

_**Mission Rank:** A_

_**Mission type:** Assassination_

_**Mission length: **unknown_

_**Mission start:** October 25th_

Sakura allowed her eyes to skim over the rest of the information sighing to herself as her brain finally let the information sink in that the mission would start in a mere two days. She read on to find that the victim of her mission was also a missing nin.

She gulped unconsciously as she quickly clapped her hands together and spoke a soft prayer that it wasn't the man who owned all of her thoughts, and was the cause of her dreams. Tsunade sama wouldn't do that right? She knew how much she had loved the boy, and plus, wouldn't she be too weak to kill Sasuke?

She opened her eyes once more and willed her delicate fingers to turn the page. The description page.

_**Eye color:** Brown_

_**Hair color:** pink_

_**Origination:** Konoha_

_**Current loyalty:** Sound_

Sakura wanted to scream aloud! It was so close to Sasuke Kun that it wasn't even funny! She let out an exaggerated sigh of relief out as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the couch. _It wasn't him. It wasn't him. It wasn't him. _Her mind repeated that thought over and over to her as a feeling of security washed over her once more.

_It wasn't him._

**_But what would you have done if it WAS him?_** Inner Sakura questioned her other half and Sakura opened her eyes.

What WOULD she have done?

_**Would you have been able to kill him?**_

Yes. Yes she would. After all it was her job right? And he didn't care about her…he made that painfully clear.

_**Honestly Sakura? Or are you just trying to fool yourself?**_

Sakura sighed, knowing that her inner self was telling the truth. She knew for a fact she would not be able to hurt Sasuke…no matter what he did to her. After all she was so deeply in love with him, she believed in him so much…that she would have followed him to sound if he had allowed.

But of course he wouldn't allow her! After all, Sasuke didn't need weaklings on his team. The one the was _supposedly_ going to give him power. Was going to help him grow.

…but what about all the rumors she heard! No one had told her directly, but she had heard just the same! …that BASTARD, for lack of better words, was using Sasuke.

Her breath slowed down as she bowed her head down low, her bangs covering her eyes. Her emerald orbs were aimed for the paper in front of her, but they saw through the paper, as if it wasn't there.

If she wasn't weak…she might have been able to save him that time. If she hadn't paused. If she had willed her body to move! When that…that…_thing_ bite him she could have done something! **_ANYTHING_**. But she froze…she froze and did nothing.

Sakura cried out to herself as she remembered just how useless she truly was. She had trained though! She had gotten stronger! She was going to bring Sasuke back with Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, and all others that may come! She was going to go with them and prove she wasn't a worthless member after all! That she was strong!

With newfound determination she quickly flipped the page of her document. Her fingers moving so fast that it caused the delicate skin on her finger to slash on the paper. A small stinging pain shifted through her finger and she winced only slightly before looking down at the wound.

Tsk. A paper cut.

She watched as blood slowly welled up from the wound and observed how large the cut truly was. She wanted to laugh, she truly did. Some times, she found, paper cuts hurt more then some of the injures she earned through missions.

Ironic wasn't it? The fact that a tiny cut…caused from a tiny near weightless piece of paper, could hurt more then a throwing knife cut sometimes.

She lightly shook her head to rid herself of the useless thoughts that had entered her head and focused her eyes on the paper in front of her.

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes widened.

_No, no no no no!_

He had told her _she_ was dead!

Sakura let out the shaky breath that she didn't even know she was holding. He had _told_ her she was dead…and yet she knew better. She just forced herself to believe it. No…something in her would have told her if she truly died, it was just a bond they had.

As much as Shikamaru wanted to claim she was dead, she wasn't…and now…

Sakura gulped.

**_And now you have to kill her…_**Inner Sakura finished the thought for the shaken 16 year old.

Her eyes scanned the paper in front of her over and over. No matter how much she read it, the words wouldn't change.

_**Name of missing nin: **Tayuya_

Sakura's eyes watered and the tears dripped onto the paper before her and the tears caused the ink on the paper to smear. She hated herself at the moment for crying, she should be mad! No more then mad, she should be FURIOUSE! She should be like…Sasuke…when it came to Itachi…but yet the tears still streamed down her face.

Her voice came out as a croak, and it strained her throat just to speak the small word. She didn't want to say it, for if she said it, it would make it reality, and she didn't want to face reality at the moment.

…and yet still the small, simple word passed through her strained lips.

"…sis…"


	3. Chapter 2

Yars! Okay well good news everyone! Heather got a beta reader! Everyone jump up and down and squeel:Jumps up and down happily: ANYWAYS! Her name is Ms. Trish, and she is my twins mother, and so everyone be REAALLLY nice to her - However, since I only RECENTLY got her in my evil clutches im not going to ask her to hurry and read this chapter and edit it for me, and its been a week since you guys got an update...so yeah. Here it ish:

Chapter 2!

* * *

"…Sis…"

Sakura's body stiffened, the word that she just spoke out loud was near taboo to her. She never wanted to admit she had a sister after what had happened not so long ago. But here, her past was trying to sneak its way back to her again.

She now had a mission, in which she had to kill Tayuya…kill her _sister._

**_Our twin_** Inner Sakura offered, even she had her eyes downcast, and was shaking. Even the ever strong and fierce Inner was upset.

Sakura clenched her fist tight, causing the manila folder in her hand to crumple slightly from the pressure. Yes. This was one thing she _knew_ she'd be able to do. This was a job she _had_ to do.

She had never been like Sasuke before, but she understood his need for blood…easily.

**_But blood and death are two different things. Sakura…do you really want to kill her?_**

_Yes. She needs to feel what she did to me…_

_**But your not naturally spiteful…are you sure this wont change you?**_

_SHE did it without remorse!_

_**Just because you are twins does not make you one in the same. You know that, Sakura.**_

Sakura shook her head to rid herself of Inner Sakura, she REALLY didn't need her help at the moment. The pink haired girl sighed and looked down at the folder, her tears had dried, and this time, seeing the name sparked a new emotion.

Anger flared up in her as she growled through her clenched teeth. With a streak of anger she flung the folder with the papers inside and watched as they flew only a few feet away before the folder opened up allowing the contents to flutter in the air before dropping down to the ground. That wasn't good enough damn it! Growling more Sakura walked over to the papers and stomped on them as hard as she could, knowing full well that she was taking her anger out in a very childish way.

_IM NOT SAD! SHE DESVERES IT! I **HATE** HER!_ She yelled to herself mentally as once more the tears welled up in her eyes. She hated her! Honest she did!

With a hic up she proclaimed her hatred out loud before collapsing into a sobbing heap on the papers. Her knees were brought up to her ears as she dug her head into her legs trying to hid herself from the world, her arms wrapping around her legs. Slowly she rocked herself back and forth as she openly sobbed.

"Why?" she asked to no one but the open air. "Why?"

_Sakura sat on the small couch, her head was propped up against one arm, while her knees draped over the other, her legs dangling back and forth as she laid down on the couch reading her book. Soft musical notes wafted in from another room besides her own and she allowed it to sooth her as she read her book._

_The young girl had taken a great interest in the Uchiha family's blood limit techniques, and not just because she wanted to know how to counter them. The little ten year old was infatuated with the cold hearted boy from her class, and she wanted to help him open up some. As a result she went off and bought every Uchiha book she could possibly find. _

_Her eyes scanned each and every word, letting them sink in as she sought to gain as much knowledge as possible. In her goal to achieve the greatest possible amount of information, however, she failed to notice that the music that was playing in the other room was steadily getting louder. _

_Soon, an identical girl to Sakura came in, her flute's music floating into Sakura's ears, causing her to look up at her twin. Tayuya smirked into her flute straining out the last of the notes for the song before putting the flute down to her collarbone. She giggled to her sister, as she watched Sakura roll her eyes and move into a sitting position giving her twin room on the couch._

_Tayuya smirked a winning smirk before plopping her body down next to her twin. "Whatcha readingOnee san?" She asked staring at the blank red cover._

_Sakura giggled like she used to when she was five and a small blush passed by her face. "I'm reading about the Uchihas" she proclaimed happily, gaining a roll of the eyes from her sister._

_"You know Onee…we ARE only ten, you shouldn't be so…obsessed with him."_

_"I'm not obsessed!" Sakura argued giggling again and pointing a knowing finger at her sister "Merely in love!"_

_"Your...TEN!"_

_Sakura sighed in defeat. "So it's a crush..."_

_Tayuya nodded her head. "Yes, just a crush. You shouldn't be messing with the Uchihas anyways sis. There story isn't exactly…the greatest. You should know…"_

_"I know…I know" Sakura replied to her twin's nagging with an exasperated tone. "But I want to know how he feels…I want to help him open up! And maybe then he could like me!"_

_Tayuya looked at her sister sternly and what she spoke next was laced with danger "You should watch what you wish for…it may come true."_

_Sakura shivered involuntarily for a moment from the way her sister spoke before giggling softly and winking at the other pink haired girl, whose hair over the years had turned a darker shade then her own. "How clichéd Tayuya!" She chided childishly._

_Tayuya looked at her sister once more, a sadistic grin etched into her features, before taking her flute in her left hand and standing up and walking a few feet away from Sakura, before pausing. "It's been five years since the fire…it was so pretty…I can't wait for it to return…" _

_She then cackled and looked at her sister with a gleam in her eyes before turning back around and walking out of the room. The moment Sakura lost sight of her sisters back, the sound of the flute's melody broke the silence, causing Sakura to let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding. _

_What was up with Tayuya today!_

Sakura was brought out of her memories as she heard a scream, before she was engulfed in a large hug. The pink haired girl blinked a few times in hopes to get her brain to register what ever was going on when she heard sobs come from behind her. Soon the back of her dress became damp from tears, and Sakura was finally able to recognize the owner of the sobs.

"Mom?" She asked cautiously as she turned her head to see her mother holding her by the neck and sobbing into her shirt. "What's the matter mom?" She asked worry evident in her voice.

Her mother simply shook her head, her brown locks falling all over the place as she did so. "No…" she sobbed softly into her daughters dress, soft noises of paper wrinkling in her hands brought Sakura to drag her gaze to her mothers hands.

She could clearly see what had her mother upset now, on hold large font in the paper her mother had clenched in her hands was the rank of the mission, and who was to go on it.

"No..." the older woman repeated, stroking the teen's hair. "Not if you are going alone, you will not take an A level…" She spoke with authority ringing in her voice. She would not let her daughter take this mission on by herself.

Sakura smiled a sad smile simply replying "But…I'm the only one who cant do this mission mom…I promise I'll be safe" And with that the pink haired ninja pried herself free from her mothers grasp, and gave her a quick kiss on the check. "I have to go see Tsunade Sama now mom. I'll be home for dinner"

Her mother glared at her for defining her authority, but nodded anyways, stroking the 16 year old's check fondly before watching as she walked out of the door. Slowly the woman stood up and quickly piled the spilled papers into a neat stack on the coffee table, not bothering to even read the rest. She was too heartbroken to read who may steal her daughter's life.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of Life and Death:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

Sakura made a beeline for her trainer's office. She would defiantly need supplies, and a small mission briefing from the woman before she could possibly even think about leaving the village.

…well that and she had to tell the hokage that she actually accepted the mission.

She sighed deeply to herself as she trained her eyes to the floor, her blue Konoha slippers kicking up dirt as she walked. She kept her head down low as she walked, knowing exactly which building she was walking by at the moment. It was none of then the infamous Uchiha's old apartment.

She usually would walk on by the building refusing to stop to look at it, and remember what she lost, but today she couldn't help but stop. Her feet came to a halt as she turned her body to face the building and she looked at it with a somber look on her face.

She closed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath in. His presence was still lingering in this building, in this village, in her heart.

_Damn it Sasuke kun…_ she thought, her heart aching slightly _your still here even though you don't know it…and its killing me…_

_**You shouldn't be upset! At least he hasn't left you alone!**_

…_I don't know which is worse…being left with his lingering presence or being completely alone…_ She replied to Inner Sakura, before willing her feet to move once more.

It wasn't long until the pink haired ninja came upon the familiar two doors that blocked her entrance from Tsunade's office. She closed her emerald pools and sighed to herself before shuffling her feet up to the door and pressing her hands on the doors. She quickly sucked in her breath and held it as she pressed the rest of her body against her hands and listened as the doors creaked open, and felt her body move forward, her eyes never once opening.

Keeping her eyes shut tightly together, she walked on the well known path to her teachers, and the village's hokage's, desk, like a woman possessed. Her aura was so…determined…and angry… that Tsunade could have sworn she saw flames coming out from all around her student.

"Sakura?"

Without acknowledging the woman, Sakura came to a halt at her desk and opened her emerald orbs to stare into those of the blonde before her. "Tsunade sama" She spoke, her voice cool and detached of any emotion, her eyes spoke of nothing but determination. "I accept this mission whole heartedly, and wish to know what I should bring and where I can find emo-…Tayuya"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the miss up the girl spoke. _Emo-? Ahh…Emoto chan…_ she thought wearily and sighed regretfully. It was a hard mission to give the girl, but she knew that Sakura would want it no other way. "Are you sure Sakura? I can still give this to ano-"

"NO!" Sakura shrieked catching the older woman off guard. "No." She spoke this time more calmly as she clasped her hands into fists at her side. "I want to do this"

Tsunade looked at the girl skeptically as she bite down on her bottom lip, before nodding her head slightly. "Alright then" she spoke, her voice wavering from uncertainty. "Tayuya was last seen on the outskirts of this town" Tsunade spoke as she unrolled a map pointing to a small town with her index finger.

"We got word from a farmer, whose wife just so happens to be a Konoha ninja. He had recognized the girl from his wife's bingo book, and as thus, sent work post haste. Unfortunately…he was not the only one to recognize her."

Sakura cocked her head to the side, her eyes filled with anxiety as she looked at the woman waiting for more information, and it came. "Three other ninja's…Anbu's…also recognized the girl, and charged after her…" Sakura blinked in confusion. Shouldn't Tayuya be brought in by now then? Weren't Anbu some of the strongest folk in the village? "…and were killed…"

Sakura felt like her heart stopped beating in her chest, and the last breath she had sucked in, got stuck in her throat, unable to release it. _Dead!_

…_**and their Anbu to! That means they are a LOT stronger then us, Sakura.**_

…_Dead…_

_**She killed them!**_

…_Three anbu…_

…**_And she's going to kill US!_**

…_but…_

_**But what! We are DEAD MEAT!**_

…_but I can't die…_

_**What?**_

…_Sasuke…_

Inner Sakura seemed to catch on now, as she pumped her fist in the air and laughed in victory. **_Oh yeah! That's right! You can't die until you see Sasuke kun again! Sweet! So that means just kill sis and we can see him right!_**

Sakura growled in disgust at her inner self. How could she speak so casually about killing their sister!

"Sakura…you can still take back the mission…" Tsunade offered, sympathy clear on the woman's face, but Sakura shook her head stubbornly, her pink tresses flying about her face.

"No. No one will do this but me."

Tsunade nodded, with hesitation. "Well…it's a three day trip there." She spoke and then reached over her desk handing the pink haired shinobi another piece of paper. "This is what I suggest you bring." Sakura nodded her head saying she understood, and was about to leave when Tsunade's voice stopped her. "…and Sakura?" Sakura turned to face the woman again, a look of curiously written on her face. "…be careful, we don't need to loose you."

Sakura nodded her head softly before turning back around, the paper tucked under her arm carefully, as she opened the door and walked out, her feet making slight tapping noises as she left the Hokage's building.

Tsunade sighed as she looked down at the map. Years ago, Shikamaru had claimed that the sound girl was dead, but it now it seems as though she came back only to haunt her sister. The 5th sighed and rubbed her temples slightly. She wasn't sure on what had happened during Sakura and the girl, but she knew, it was something big by the way the gentle ninja acted whenever Tayuya was brought up.

The blonde sighed once more and brought her elbows up on her desk, lacing her fingers together in front of her face as she let out a worried sigh. Tonight Sakura would have a special prayer from the 5th. This was a suicidal mission, Tsunade knew, but only Sakura could approach this now.

…Though Naruto may have wanted to become the hokage, and though he as well as many others may consider themselves stronger then Sakura, only she would be able to take down this missing nin, with even a slim chance of survival.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair. She would just have to trust her prized pupil.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of Leaves and Sound:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

Sakura held the paper in her hands as she made a mental check list of the objects. It appeared that she had everything she needed; now it was just a matter of _finding_ it in the house. That would prove to be a mission all of its own.

The young girl sighed as she stood up from sitting on her bed and walked over to her desk, her socked feet making soft noises as they came in contact with the hard wooden floor. She quickly grasped her Kunai and stars putting them on a safe place on her floor before going off to get her pack.

She then walked into the bathroom and went over to the medicine cabinet, pulling out ointments and bandages for unforeseen accidents, like not having enough charka at the end of the battle to heal herself, and again placed them and the pack next to her weapons.

Next she walked over to her desk and pulled out tiny precut squares and a pen. Clicking the pen, she set out to draw symbols on the small paper confetti like paper before pouring a handful of the object into a small pink bag. She was able to fill a good 20 bags before placing them next to her other weapons, before going back to her desk to repeat the process, this time with larger scraps of paper.

After a good half hour of working, she was finally done with her exploding tags and placed, them to, in the steadily growing pile.

She then walked over to her dresser and pulled out more of her training dresses, folded them neatly and then placed them in the pile as well. As she finished this task she got up and walked over to her vanity and grabbed her hairbrush, and tossed that in, without so much as even looking over her shoulder.

There. Now just to get rope and a few medical scrolls, and then place them in her pack, and she'd be set! As she set out to retrieve the desired objects she failed to notice the figure sitting outside her window, staring in at her.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of Life and Death:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

It was near 8 when the pink haired girl finally placed her last dress in her pack, and closed it, a satisfied smile on her face. Finally she was done! "Mission Accomplished!" she squealed to herself happily as she yawned aloud. Tomorrow, she would have to sit down and stare at the map for hours, memorizing the best path to take, and of course, she'd have to try and plan something similar to a strategy as well.

She was about to collapse on her bed when a knock resounded from her door. With a groan she shouted from her spot "Hai?"

"Sakura! There's someone here for you!" Her mother called out and Sakura sighed.

"Okay…okay" she replied softly as she attempted to pull herself off the floor.

_**Damn it! Just leave us alone! We need to rest before our mission! MORON!**_

"Can I just send him in?" her mothers voice called out. Sakura blinked in surprise. Her mother had already let him in the house? Who was it?

"Uh…sure…" She replied unsure, and as the door knob turned and a body bounced through the door, Sakura let out a scream.

* * *

Now now now...okay heres teh results from the last update:

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Gah! and the reviewer wasnt even one of the two story alerts! This is the worse ive ever done:goes and sobs in a corner: Is it really that bad? I mean I knew i was going out on a limb with this story, but I have great ideas for it I do:Gives everyone puppy dog eyes pout: Review...please?


	4. Chapter 3

The door knob turned and a body bounced through the door, Sakura let out a scream.

"Na-Naruto! Kakashi sensei! What are you two doing?" She called out frantically as she stared the two the ahead of her.

Naruto had gone off into training after Sasuke went with Orochumaru, in attempts to become stronger to bring back the raven haired boy. She had known he had come back, but never did she see him. She was always to busy with her training with Tsunade sama, or going on the few missions she was given.

Kakashi had gone into a sever depression as his one and only students had left him to train with other teachers. Sakura had heard that he had been going to bars more and more often, and he rarely ever visited her.

Her stomach turned and she placed a hand over it to keep it steady. What were they doing here?

Their going to stop us! Inner Sakura hissed angrily and Sakura had to mentally nod in agreement. It's not their choice if we want to commit suicide!

Whoa…hold on…who said anything about suicide inner?

Well it's a sure death mission of course! Inner Sakura was busy nodding her head as if to prove her point that she didn't notice Sakura had completely shut her out of her thoughts when Naruto spoke.

"We came to stop you Sakura Chan!" The blonde fox boy spoke his foxy grin now dropping into a serious expression. "It's far too dangerous!"

I told you! Inner screeched aloud while doing a victory dance for once again…being right.

"What do you know about the mission?" Sakura seethed out through clenched teeth. How much had Tsunade told them?

"That its an A ranked mission and you will be out of the village for at least 6 days" her former sensei replied this time, not allowing the blonde to butt in. "And…that your going alone."

Sakura 'humphed' as she glared at the two males before her. "I'm not as weak you know" She spoke, her eyes growing cold. She was tired of being taken as nothing but a little weak child. She could take care of herself damn it! She trained to! She practiced hard! Naruto and Sasuke were not the only ones growing strong. "I can handle myself, and I don't need help."

"Neh! Neh! But Sakura cha-" The blond started but was once again cut off by the pink tressed beauty.

"This is my mission, and I will not have anyone come with me, and I will not have anyone deter me from my path." Her eyes flicked with determination towards two of the three men that helped make up team 7. Her teammate and her teacher. "Naruto…you've had missions that you thought only you fit to go on…well this is mine. Now I'm sorry to cut our visit short…but I have to rest up for my mission."

Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other shocked. What had happened to their innocent little cherry blossom? She never used to talk back like that…but then again she wouldn't take an A ranked mission before either.

Sakura gave them both a sad smile before closing the door in their faces hoping against hope that they would not knock again. And they didn't.

She felt bad. She truly did! Just closing the door on their faces like that was not something that was easy to do…but it was needed to be done. A heavy sigh escaped the young girl's lips as her eyes downcast to the floor, watching as her feet led her to her bed, in which she promptly collapsed on.

Her eyes slowly became heavier and she allowed them to close, but forced back sleep, opting instead to just rest her eyes. She didn't want that nightmare to come back, but she knew, eventually she would drift to sleep and with sleep came the dream.

Sadly for the Haruno girl sleep came sooner then she would have wanted.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.Twins of life and death.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Sakura sighed as she adjusted her pack on her back once more; tightening the straps around her arms and checking to make sure her head band was straight. Her pouch was full of weapons, her hair was fine, her pack was full, and she knew the mission objective.

The girl had spent all day yesterday plotting what she could for the mission that would be starting today, and she felt ready. All that she had left to do in this village before leaving would be saying her farewells to her parents, and perhaps Ino pig…but only if she happened to spot the girl on her way out.

With one last look at her mirror, Sakura smiled to herself and made her way downstairs. Her parents where there standing together smiling at the girl. Sakura's mother had tears welled in her eyes as she drew her daughter into a hug. "Come back safe" the woman whispered into pink tresses, and Sakura stiffened.

"Okaasan! I'm going out now okay?"

An older woman looked up from her dishes and smiled at her daughter. "Why of course Sakura. Going to go train right?"

"Right!" The pink haired ninja replied happily "I'm goin' to go practice with Sasuke kun and Naruto, and Kakashi sensei!" The young girl was so happy that she didn't seem to realize she was rambling on and on, never once ending a sentence, simply adding an "and" to the last part of her speech.

Eventually she caught on that she was talking on and on and was going to be late. With a cry of "Oh crap!" She ran up to her mother and gave her a peck on the cheek before darting out "Bye mom!"

Her mother chuckled and watched as her daughter ran by the window giving a call of "Come back safe!" The girl paused for only a moment to smile a warm smile at her mother before running down the street.

The elderly woman sighed in content as she once again turned her attention back to the dishes. A soft melody escaped her lips as she cleaned the dirty dishes from the mornings meal as the soft sound of tapping resounded in her ears.

Turning around she saw her other daughter. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of her daughters hair. "Tayuya! What happened to your hair!" Her mother called out, her eyes widening as she took in the sight.

Tayuya picked up a lock of her hair and examined in closely. Her once pink tresses now had an orange color to it and she smirked. "I got to close to fire." She replied with a shrug, dismissing the topic all together.

"Fire? Tayuya, where was this fire?"

The girl shot her mother a fierce glare before turning her attention to the table in front of her.

"Tayuya!" Her mother continued loudly "Where was this fire?" she persisted, her tone growing impatient.

"You know what mother! You can just go bu-"

Sakura, who had forgotten her kunais and ran back to get them, had overheard the whole conversation and chose to pop into the house at that moment to attempt to stop a rising fight that was starting between mother and her twin.

"I forgot my Kunai!" she announced loudly to be sure her presence was known throughout the Haruno house hold.

Thankfully, as she had hoped, her mother's attention was momentarily distracted as she smiled "Oh! Sakura! Their over here on the table dear!" her mothers soft voice wafted over to her, and she watched as Tayuya got up from the table mouthing 'thanks' before leaving the room

Sakura reached down and grabbed her weapons before leaving the house once more, this time running down the streets so as not to be later then Kakashi. …but one thought still bothered the girl as she ran through the streets of Konoha. Why WAS Tayuya playing with fire?

Sakura bid the memory away, tightly shutting her eyes, in hopes that if she could not see, the memories could not get to her. How this would work…she didn't know…but she had to believe. Slowly she slithered her arms out of her mothers embrace before enwrapping her own around her mother. "I will…mom…I promise."

The older woman pulled the pink haired girl an arms length away and stared at her for a moment before nodding slowly, tears still working their way down her face. Sakura had never seen her mother so upset over a mission so, she did the best she could…she offered her a weary smile.

However this did not work the wonders Sakura had hoped it would for her mother. A guilty feeling sunk low in her stomach as she bid it away. She had to come up with something to calm down the woman. And then it struck her! "Mother!" she spoke with a giggle, gaining the older woman's attention. "I have to come back! If I don't, what if I miss Sasuke kun! I wouldn't be able to rest in peace!"

The woman gave a sad laugh and wiped away her tears before nodding in agreement. "Yes…" She murmured remembering all the times her dear sweet cherry blossom would come home, cheeks stained red from the tears the boy caused…and yet every time the girl would hop back on her feet and say she still loved him. Yes. If there was one thing that would ensure her that Sakura would come back, it's Sasuke.

She had never personally met the boy, and to be frank…she didn't want to. She was afraid she'd sock the Uchiha in the face for all the pain he caused the teen in front of her, but who was she to lay judgment on the male that stole her daughters heart? …anything…as long as it brought her little girl back to her.

Sakura gave her mother another smile, this one more heart felt, before hugging her once more and making her way out the door. The other woman could do nothing but watch as her daughter walked on out of the door, and pray to kami that her daughter would be fine.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of leaves and sound:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Sakura blinked. Once…twice…and finally three times. What the hell was going on over there! Sakura adjusted the strap of her pack as she stared at the large group of people that were surrounding the gate to leave Konoha. Her mind raced with possibilities of why a crowd might be formed. Was someone injured? Did someone just come back from a mission? Did a wanted man come into the village? …Did Sasuke come back?

A lump formed in her throat as she ran towards the area the group was forming around. She had to leave through the gate anyways…so one little peak at what the commotion was all about wouldn't hurt…right?

As she neared the group, however, it went deathly silent. Eyes were directed towards her, and her alone, and soft whispers would float to her ears. 'There she is!' 'The medical nin of our village is leaving!' 'How could she be so reckless?' 'I heard that it's an A ranked mission and that Sakura won't be coming back…'

Sakura looked around from one person to another, nervousness setting in as she realized…they weren't surrounding anything…they were waiting for her. She gulped visibly as she could hear the whispers growing louder and louder. Slowly she took a step towards the group, and much to her surprise the people backed away from her. Blinking slightly she took another step, and again more people moved out of her way.

Mentally nodding in understandment she took a few more steps forward, and as she thought, the group moved out of her way, and slowly closed in around her…and eventually she reached the center of the group and saw none other then the remnants of team 7. Naruto had a scowl on his face while Kakashi never once even bothered to look up from his book.

"Naruto…" Sakura spoke in a warning tone glaring at the young male, and he faltered for but a second before regain his composure. "…what are all these people doing here?"

"Their here to stop you Sakura Chan!" He replied with a definite look on his face. He looked to the group for support, but in response he only received coughs and people clearing their throats. "Awww come on!" he whined looking at the group, but as he went to trace his eye sight back to the pink haired shinobi that had once so easily caught his attraction, he saw her leaving the gates. Not a single soul attempting to stop her.

She turned around once she was out of the gate and smiled a smile that no one would forget as she faced Naruto. It wasn't a warm smile…it wasn't a sadistic one either though…and it was far from a happy one…but it wasn't forced. What was that emotion that graced her face?

The smile only grew wider as Naruto stared at her in confusion before she finally spoke, her bell like voice easily dominating any conversation that may have been taking place in the crowd.

"Naruto." She spoke addressing the blonde male. "You and Sasuke kun were always the strong ones. You were always the ones protecting me, and I was forced to watch your back. So many times did I try to do something for the two of you…something…anything, but you both were to far ahead for any attempts of mine to be classified as anything but feeble. I trained, and I trained, and neither of you took notice, as you were growing steadily stronger, and better. I was easily classified as the weakling of team seven…but no more.

"I tried so hard to show you that I could help! That I was rightfully a member of the same team as you two, but you didn't need my help. I was so weak, that I could do nothing as Sasuke Kun left, and Shikamaru had told me I would have been of no help bringing him back.

"But I trained anyways…I held my head up high, and practiced with Tsunade Sama. But you were never there to take note. You still only took me as the weak girl I was, but I've changed. I've become stronger, and I can handle this mission.

"I've said this before, and though you had not heard it, it was spoken to you. I will say it again now, in front of all these people of Konoha, as my witness. It's YOUR turn to watch MY back. Goodbye Naruto…Sensei Kakashi"

And with that the pink haired ninja nodded to the two men manning the gates, and watched with a rare warm smile gracing her lips, as the gates closed on her former teammate, before turning around on her heel and walking off towards the nearby forest.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of life and death:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Sakura's feet followed the once well beaten path, her eyes darting to and fro looking for danger, may there be any. Her guard was up, and her hand itched on the side near her pouch, just daring someone to come out so she could pull a Kunai out on them.

An odd sense of pride welled through her body as she made her way through the forest though. Pride for being out on a mission, an A ranked on at that, by herself! She paused as she came to the end of the beaten path and made a left, knowing the track she needed to make by heart from countless hours of studying yesterday.

She could almost hear her mother crying tears of joy when she returned; she could almost see the surprised look on Naruto and Kakashi's faces when she returned. Could almost smell the sake Tsunade Sama would offer her upon her return, even though she was underage. Could almost taste the ramen Naruto would force her to sit down and eat after coming back.

She smiled to herself, knowing it was these very thoughts that would keep her from loosing in this mission. She had to return for them, for Sasuke Kun, and for herself.

With a smile planted firmly on her face, she moved on the memorized path with a new found determination. Nothing could stop her, for this was her mission, and she would complete it.

…even if it meant killing her own flesh and blood.

* * *

My brand new Beta reader went poof::sobs: She didnt even edit ONE thing and she disappered :wails loudly: Actually, shes still around, shesmy sisters mother, but I havent seen her on line in a long time >> And she cant print it out...so yeah :sighs: Anyways, I dont want you peoples to have to wait a looong time for a new update, because then you forget what happens in a story, I know, its happened to me before. So! I decided weekly updates. Sound good? So heres this update...again edited to my best ablities. But you know...I suck at grammer and spelling so bear with me!

>> Uh yeah...

Oh! and thank yee all fer the prutty reviews! I was happy - I got two this time. And last time I got one...and none for intro...wow aint that just spiffy? We are going up by chapters! Lets go for 3 and up this time then! WOOT!

Carol


	5. Chapter 4

RAWR! I WANTETH REVIEWS! sniffles Thank you to those of you who have…and Shinobi thanks for that info I knew it was Onee, but my word program automatically switches it to which ever word I have in the comp…and it had Onii not one But thanks to your review I know this and can go back and fix my program! Thank you soooo much! You ith rocketh!

Oh! And I got a favorite! **Darth Sonic**! WHEEEEEE! does a REALLY happy dance

On with chapter…what is this? 4?

* * *

Sakura pushed back a branch as she walked through the forest. The birds chirped loudly in her ears and the wind whistled and tousled to branches leaves causing them to rustle, all adding into the forest symphony.

Sakura smiled to herself as she raised her left foot a little bit higher then her causal steps to avoid tripping over a protruding root. First she hummed a small tune to herself as she walked, but soon found herself lending her voice to the forests music.

Her voice was that of a harpy's, so lovely that it could sink thousand ships and could hold even the coldest mans heart capture. It rung out through the forest, the wind carrying it out to the small critters who seemed to stop all their noise making just to listen. The words came to her so naturally that it would have surprised a person to know that they were only coming to her at that very moment.

If someone had been watching her she would have felt very silly, as she would have looked like one of those crazy Disney girls who always sang about their lives. When Sakura was younger, she and Tayuya would always ask their mother why the villagers never tired of hearing the girl sing every morning…it was just too early to be so darn chipper!

But still she pushed those thoughts aside as she belted out a chorus, her voice soft and alluring. As sweet as a bell chime.

_The piano's keys were struck as fingers danced across them, their sweet music filling the air. An orange haired girl sat in front of the grand object as her twin sister sat beside her singing softly to accompany the music._

_Their mother and father stood at the kitchen's door frame, their father's arm wrapped around their mother's waist as they stood there, with proud smiles on their faces as they listened to their girls work together to create a wonderful sound._

_The two were the bells of the village…everyone envied the Haruno parents for having such skilled daughters. That's why it was such a surprise that the two elegant and graceful twins decided that they wanted to be ninja's._

_Their parents had objected at first, but the two were always stubborn so they had eventually gave in, and instead opted for worrying over the two whenever they went on missions. But it was moments like this, when Tayuya played the piano, and Sakura sung that they could forget their worries and pretend that everything would be alright._

_Sakura's voice rang out as she closed her eyes in bliss and her sister smiled, shrugging off some of her orange hair off her shoulder before lending her voice in with her sisters, their harmony going unmatched in the village._

_Soon the song was over however, and Sakura opened her eyes to grin at her sister, who grinned in return. Tayuya slowly closed the piano and reached out for the top pulling down her flute case and opening it. Clasping together the three parts of her favorite instrument she began to strain out the first few notes of another song._

_Again Sakura's eyes drifted closed as again she sung to her sister's music. It was always this way. Tayuya would play and Sakura would sing. But the song was cut short as Tayuya stopped abruptly and looked at her sister solemnly. _

_"Nani…Tayuya chan what's the matter?" Sakura asked, as she to, stopped her song._

_"Remember this moment Onee san" The orange haired girl spoke before giving her sister another affectionate smile and again resumed the song. Sakura gave her sister an odd look but shrugged off the uneasy feeling as she again let the lyrics to their song take over her voice. Tayuya was just being weird again was all._

Sakura sighed sadly at the memory but continued on her path, still lending her voice to the music that surrounded her. She sung of lost love, and of childhood reveries. She sung of the stars above, and she sung a song of her way of the ninja. She kept on singing and singing to fill her hearts content, when a bush rustled behind her. Turning around cautiously she pulled out a kunai and posed for an attack.

The bushes rustled once more but nothing came out. Sakura glared at the bush, her heart picking up speed and she gulped down the salvia building up in her mouth. She never let her gaze wavier from the bush as she pushed back her feeling of fear.

**Here we go…** Inner Sakura stated to her other self as she to posed as if she were going into battle.

Then it happened. A body rushed out of the bushes at an alarming rate. A squeak of surprise exited Sakura's lips as she attempted to keep an eye on the moving target. But it was a futile attempt as the moment she lost sight of the body she was struck from behind.

Her body flew into the ground and she slammed into the dirt. Immediately she pushed herself up and looked around.

Gone.

Her heart beat quickened even more as a twig snapped behind her, and she quickly whirled around to see nothing but a passing blur. _What!_ Her mind raced feverly as she looked around for her foe.

**BEHIND YOU!** Inner Sakura screeched and Sakura turned around to find nothing. Fear dripped into her system. Where did they go!

"ABOVE YOU!" Came the cry and as Sakura looked up she felt a kunai whiz by her cheek causing a small cut to run down the length of her face, blood trickling down her chin before dripping onto the ground. And then the figure was gone again.

Sakura took in a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself, if she panicked she would die here. So she held her breath and looked around with her eyes. Silence…and calmness greeted her senses, which only proved to increase her apprehension of the situation.

Then she heard it.

A crack from a twig behind her.

Whirling around she held the kunai in front of her, her other arm guarding her stomach, and successfully managed to block the Kunai that was going to be her backs new best friend, had she not turned around in time. Kunai against kunai, Sakura pressed back with her arms with all her might as she attempted to fend off the on comer.

"Pathetic" The voice rang out and Sakura looked her, her green orbs coming in contact with violet ones.

"Who are you?" She asked through gritted teeth as she finally succeeded in pushing the foe back with the kunai.

"Sada" the voice spoke and was gone again in a flash.

Sakura hitched her breath in her throat as she listened to the noises of the forest in an attempt to find her enemy. When no sound entered her ears she turned around and flung her kunai into a near by bush, receiving a grunt in return and seeing her enemy fly out of the bush.

It was then that Sakura saw noticed the deep and long blue hair of her foe -Sada- and realized it was indeed a female attacking her, and one she didn't know of for that. Well at least she knew she hadn't pissed someone off and they were after her. Nope. Just some random stranger wanting to kill her.

Damn. Some times her life sucked.

The woman struck again, reaching into her pouch she pulled out three shuriken and flung them at Sakura.

The pink haired kunoichi quickly darted to her left to avoid the oncoming weapons only to have a lock of her pink tresses sliced in the process.

**Damn her!** Inner Sakura seethed, but Sakura just hushed her saying now was not the moment to worry about hair.

Next came a brigade of kicks from the blue haired woman which Sakura was barely able to defend herself against. And when she thought the onslaught of kicks were through a surprise punch came swiftly to her stomach causing her to double over in pain.

Her eyes grew wide as she clutched her stomach in pain and coughs escaped her lips, blood coming out at the same time. Then a swift kick to her ribs came sending her flying to the other side of the area she was fighting in, a tree being the only thing that had stopped her from flying further.

Sada laughed with sadistic joy as she walked nearer to the injured ninja. Sakura knew she had to do something, and fast! She quickly tried to scramble back up but found she could only collapse back onto the ground.

_No!_ Her mind screamed _No no no no no! I can't loose already!_

Sada was drawing nearer and nearer to the girl and Sakura's mind quickly raced with possible options left to her and nothing physically possible seemed opened to her. Closer and closer came the blue haired woman, whom Sakura had no idea why she was attacking her, and Sakura closed her eyes waiting for another blow.

Sada seemed to have the same idea as Sakura as she drew back her leg to kick her again, but was met with a nasty surprise as when she was about to connect her foot with Sakura's rib she found a kunai dug into her leg.

She jumped back in pain and growled as she looked at the smirking Sakura who again coughed up blood, but merely wiped it away with her arm as she groggily stood up and took a wavering step forward, the blood from her cheek long since forgotten.

"Why are you attacking me?" Sakura questioned taking another step towards the seething woman, her voice laced with malice. Sada didn't answer as she quickly pulled out the kunai and rushed towards Sakura with it.

Caught off guard by the girls seemingly painless wound Sakura didn't move as the kunai drove itself into her arm. A shrill scream escaped her lips as she felt the blue haired girl attempt to drive the knife deeper into her arm.

Thinking as best as she could in this situation she kicked Sada away and turned to run. When she felt she was a safe enough distance she quickly stomped on the ground causing a deep chasm to form ahead of her. Hoping it was enough to temporarily stop any oncoming attacks Sakura quickly pulled the kunai out of her arm, another scream leaking from her lips as she set out to heal the wound.

Sada looked at the hole and grinned. "Not nearly enough to stop me…Sakura chan" she spoke as she leapt into the air, spinning as she did so. Sakura stared up at the girl as she span and thoughts raced through her head.

"Sada…san…"

_"Onee san! Onee san! Come look at my friend!" Tayuya's voice rang out through the house and Sakura peeked around the corner to see a blue haired woman laughing lightly as her twin sister tugged her along by the hand._

_"Tayuya chan! Who is she?" Sakura asked curiously as she left the safety of the corner to meet the girl. _

_"Her name is Sada san! She came to Konoha to greet the 3rd! Isn't she pretty?"_

_Sakura scrunched her nose somewhat as she looked the woman over. She was clearly at LEAST 5 years older then they…and she wore a sound headband. "Sada…san?" She asked suspicion laced her voice as she watched the woman before her carefully._

_"Aa." She replied sound much like Sasuke kun for a moment. "You must be Sakura chan…Tayuya's told me so much about you" A twisted smile seemed to find its way to the older woman's lips as she looked over Sakura, a smile that made the young pink haired girl shiver involuntarily. _

_"Tayuya chan…why is she here?" she whispered to her twin who merely smiled._

_"She's looking for a few ninja's to take to sound! Isn't it cool onee? She says sound can make you soooo much stronger!"_

_"Is that so?" Sakura asked eyeing the woman weirdly, her skeptical ness of the situation evident in her tone._

_"Aa." Again the blue haired woman replied, crouching down to be Sakura's level. "Would you be interested?"_

_"Not a chance!" Sakura growled angrily. "I'm a Konoha, a leaf ninja the whole way! I don't need your icky village to make me stronger!" She held back the urge to spit at the woman's face, though it was highly tempting. If she joined sound she would no longer be on the same team as Sasuke kun! Like hell she'd let that happen!_

_"But your sister tells me you both have lovely musical skills!" The woman persisted still yet._

_Sakura snapped "Go screw yourself!" She cursed and quickly covered her mouth as she realized she had let inner Sakura out._

_**THAT A GIRL!** Her inner self screamed out in joy and pumped her fist in her air while doing a victory dance around in the young 12 year olds head._

_Something flashed by in Sada san's eyes but quickly disappeared as she tried once more. "But if you can sing and your sister can play then you two could be a team from sound village and your voice could be used as a weapon!"_

_Sakura growled. She didn't want her gift to be a weapon! She looked over to see her sister giggling happily and looking at Sada san with great admiration. Weren't Konoha and Otoga on the brinks of war?_

_"No way" She seethed to the elder woman and her sister looked crestfallen. "Never in your DREAMS will I join your side, and let me tell you this…if you EVER try to wage war against Konoha we will kick your butts!"_

_"Why you little!" Sada san growled and was about to pick up Sakura by the neck when the Haruno parents came in. Instead she opted for glaring at the girl and leaving in a huffy state._

_Sakura glared at the woman's back in defiance until she heard Tayuya's cries "What was that for Sakura!"_

_Sakura looked over at her sister confused. What had she done wrong? "She was my FRIEND and you chased her away!" And with that Sakura watched as her twin sister ran off in search of Sada san._

What happened to her courage since then? She had up and yelled in the woman's face and then a few months after that she couldn't even bear the site of blood. Oh how the mighty had fallen.

However, being lost in your memories when in the midst of a battle is not exactly the best thing, for before Sakura knew it a screeching sound was heard, and Sakura could quite literally see sound waves flying towards her.

Leaping in the air, she spotted the blue haired woman in a tree, two of her fingers placed firmly in her mouth as she blew hard causing her whistles to create a deadly weapon. Still in mid air Sakura reached into her pouch and pulled out two kunai and flung it towards the woman.

She must have heard the noise though, as she leapt away in time and Sakura watched as two more of her weapons dug themselves deep into the tree.

"Kuso!" She cursed as she landed gracefully on the branch Sada once stood on. Quickly her eyes darted around the area that now easily showed marks of a battle. Sada was no where to be found though.

**Where did she go!** Inner Sakura asked frantically as she tossed her head to and fro looking for the enemy as well.

"Oooh Sakura chan!" Came a sickingly sweet call. Sakura turned around in time to be met by Sada's hand gripping around her neck.

The two flew fast into a near by tree and Sakura's head bashed against the trunk and together the two slid down the length of the tree till Sada's feet touched the ground and she held Sakura up, so her fee just barely couldn't touch the ground.

Sakura struggled in the older woman's grip but found she could not free herself no matter how hard she tried. Her finger tips just barely grazed the top of her pouch and was no where near being able to grip a weapon. She attempted to move her legs but found she could not for some odd reason. Upon looking down she saw Sada had her own legs pressed against her own so that she could not move them for an attack.

"Now Sakura chan…" the blue haired sound nin spoke with malice as she pulled out a kunai. "…say good night!"

* * *

Review me damn it! You must! I was reading a fic today, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best I had read either…it was still pretty good though, and I read the authors note and she said "15 reviews or no new update!" I quite literally could feel my mouth drop open! 15! I cant even get 3 out of this damn story for a chapter! I looked up and she was on chapter 5 and already had 205 reviews!

I thought I was going to pass out! Here I am on what chapter 4 (5 if you count the intro) and have only 4 reviews! I was like "HOLY SHIT!" I want to be like that:eyes glitter: My goal now is to be able to one say say "15 reviews or no update!" But I know I'll never be that good…Maybe for my birthday you guys will review and ask your friends to, to? So that I can feel loved?

But yes, so anyways that is my goal to one day be able to say "15 reviews!" But for now I cant even say "1 review!" Because I know chances of me getting it are slim to none :sobs: Well anyways that was the end of the chapter…please review…:eyes glisten and gives everyone the puppy dog pout: pwease!

Oh yeah…and watch out for next weeks update - Sayonara till then!

Correct me if im wrong but I do beleive Otogakure is the village of sound :shifty eyes: I hope.


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